Dragonwell was my first love among loose leaf teas going on 5 years ago. I don’t get back to San Francisco nearly as often as I used to but I always make it a point to stop by and stock up.
This tea is one of the contemplative teas ones that really kind of make you work to find all the nuances, and this tea has a lot of nuance. My tea sessions are most often at work so really being able to focus on the tea is a rarity. With that said this tea has a way of taking me out of the moment, to reflect on the tender buds, only a 1/2 inch in length. What was the day like when they were plucked… who did it… what artisan did the kill green and the roasting all wonderful questions to consider while dealing with the race of rats I find myself in.
As mentioned the the tea itself it a single bud and two very small leaves, all uniform in size color… a beautiful tea. The flavor is very subtle, and can only be described as clean, and the scent and flavor of a misty early spring morning wandering through an apricot orchard.
But really this tea for me is less about what it tastes like because taste is one of those things are often but not always subjective. Instead I like to focus on how it makes me feel. Considering the craftsmanship and the labor, watching the tender hairs from the leaves float to the top of the gaiwan and the ever so faint yellow color of the tea just makes the day special no matter where.
